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Current and past

April 2013

{{newsitem| Lord Voldemort advances towards [[London] |9 Apr 2013| Lord Voldemort and his army of minions are quickly advancing toward the British capital of London.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appealed to North Korea to change course, saying it has "gone too far" in its rhetoric. He said he was concerned any "unwanted crisis" on the Korean peninsula would have "very serious implications". The warning came hours after South Korea's foreign minister said the North had shifted a missile with "considerable range" to its east coast. [1]

A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck offshore in northeastern Philippines, the United States Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damages. The quake struck about 100 miles northeast of Manila and had a depth of 23 miles, the USGS said. [2]

Samoa Air starts charging overweight passengers more

Samoa Air starts charging overweight passengers more

4 Apr 2013

Samoa Air has become the world's first airline to implement "pay as you weigh" flights, meaning overweight passengers pay more for their seats. Under the new system, Samoa Air passengers must type in their weight and the weight of their baggage into the online booking section of the airline's website. The rates vary depending on the distance flown: from $1 per kilogram on the airline's shortest domestic route to about $4.16 per kilogram for travel between Samoa and American Samoa. Passengers are then weighed again on scales at the airport, to check that they weren't fibbing online. [3]

The number of foreign women tourists visiting India has dropped by 35 per cent in the past three months following a spate of sex attacks that have made global headlines. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) says overall tourist arrivals are down 25 per cent year-on-year, with holidaymakers opting instead to visit other Asian countries such as Malaysia and Thailand. The fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old Indian student by six men on a bus in New Delhi in December sparked outrage over the country's treatment of women, and since then there have been other widely reported attacks. These incidents have "raised concerns about the safety of female travellers to the country", said D.S. Rawat, secretary general at ASSOCHAM, which surveyed 1200 tour operators from different cities. "The situation has been further aggravated by the advisory issued by various countries to their citizens visiting India to be cautious and avoid India," added the release from ASSOCHAM. [4]

Jordan tightened security along its border with Syria, doubling the number of soldiers as President Bashar Assad's regime warned the kingdom is "playing with fire" by allowing the U.S and other countries to train and arm Syrian rebels on its territory. The warning, coinciding with significant rebel advances near the border, plays into Jordanian fears that its larger neighbor might try to retaliate for its support of the opposition fighters. The stepped up security also reflects the kingdom's fears that the chaos from Syria's 2-year-old civil war could lead to a failed state on its doorstep where Islamic militants have a free hand. [5]

March 2013

Peru's government has declared an environmental state of emergency in an Amazon jungle region due to years of contamination from oil drilling it blames on Pluspetrol, the country's biggest oil and natural gas producer.Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal deemed inadequate Argentine-owned Pluspetrol's cleanup of oil spills in the Pastaza river region bordering Ecuador. [6]

The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that a magnitude-6.2 earthquake has struck near Guatemala City. Guatemalan authorities had no immediate reports of damage. The USGS said Monday that the earthquake was located 3 miles (6 kilometers) northwest of San Jose Pinula and had a depth of 200 kilometers (124 miles). [7]

A dual picture of Syria's rebellion is emerging: Fighters on the ground make advances, seizing territory in the south and even firing one of the heaviest mortar volleys yet into the heart of Damascus. But at the same time, the would-be opposition leadership is falling deeper into disarray. [8]

Travelers to India have been warned over increasing sexual assaults against women visiting the country. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated its travel advice in the wake of the recent rape of a Swiss tourist. “Women travellers should exercise caution when travelling in India even if they are travelling in a group,” the FCO said. [9]

Chinese Airline Will Sell Cars On Board

Chinese Airline Will Sell Cars On Board

15 Mar 2013

According to Bloomberg, China's Spring Airlines Co., the nation's biggest privately-owned carrier, plans to start selling Chinese-branded automobiles on flights as early as next month. Zhang Wu'An, a spokesman at the Shanghai-based company, said the cars will be priced from about 100,000 yuan ($16,000), but details on makes and models have not yet been publicized. Founded in 2005, Spring Airlines is China's only no-frills, budget carrier. The airline made headlines a few years ago when they considered standing-only flights. The carrier flies to more than 20 cities throughout China, plus to international destinations in Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Thailand and Cambodia.

The European Commission says the new rules, which are not likely to become law until 2014, will give a lot more certainty to airlines and passengers. They include rerouting travellers with rival carriers if a flight is delayed for more than 12 hours and clarify what are considered exceptional circumstances for compensation. During the Icelandic ash cloud crisis in 2010, when no flights could take off in Europe for several days, there was much confusion about how much responsibility the airlines should carry for the welfare of its passengers. Some airlines were initially very reluctant to cover passengers' costs, but threats from the European authorities brought them into line. [10]

The road from the military academy where Hugo Chavez's body has been lying in state to the hilltop museum where he'll be displayed indefinitely is lined with some of the most dangerous slums on the planet. It runs under bridges in dire need of repair and past grocery stores with few groceries. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans gathered along that route to watch the late president's body cross the city in yet another choreographed show designed to keep Chavez supporters in thrall, at least until an April 14 election to replace him. Afterward, people will have to go on living with the problems that Chavez left behind. This tense, relentlessly gray capital embodies many of Venezuela's problems, with crumbling apartment towers and food lines often sharing the same sidewalk with cheering crowds eager to greet their departed Comandante. [11]

February 2013

Days after the death of a Palestinian in an Israeli prison, a rocket fired from Gaza landed in southern Israel, the first such attack since a cease-fire took hold in November. Israeli police said they did not receive any reports of injuries from the rocket. The rocket fire prompted the Israel Defense Forces to close the Kerem Shalom Crossing near the Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian borders. The Erez Crossing between Gaza and Israel will be open only for medical cases, humanitarian aid or exceptional cases. [12]

Palestinians are calling for a boycott of a marathon race in Jerusalem that winds through the city's eastern sector. Palestinians claim it as their capital. The third annual Jerusalem marathon takes on 1 March. Previous races have drawn thousands of runners from around the world and attracted international brands as sponsors. In a statement, the Palestine Liberation Organization called on marathon participants and sponsors to withdraw their support. [13]

Tourist balloon exploded over southern Egypt, killing 19, making it the world's deadliest hot air balloon accident in at least 20 years. Two people are hospitalized, including a British passenger and the pilot. It was a gas explosion that caused the balloon to fall about 300 meters (almost 1,000 feet). [14]

Extensive flooding has hit Macedonia after three days of heavy rain, leaving one man dead, bridges wiped out and homes and fields inundated. Roughly 300 homes were flooded in the village of Josifovo, 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the capital of Skopje. Hundreds more houses and commercial buildings were inundated in the southern village of Dabile, where the fire brigade was evacuating elderly residents. The central Pistica dam was described as being in a "critical" situation, with authorities concerned it could collapse. Nearby, thousands of hectares (acres) of fields were flooded and 20,000 people were without electricity in the town of Sveti Nikole, the National Crisis Management Center said. [15]

An investigation has been launched after armed robbers broke into Brussels Airport and stole diamonds worth more than £32million. in a meticulously planned heist lasting less than five minutes, eight armed men burst through the airport's security barrier in a fake police car before driving up to a security van parked on the runway next to the Swiss passenger aircraft. A Brussels Airport police spokesman said a full investigation has been launched into the raid, which has seriously thrown into doubt the security of the airport. [16]

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake rattled central Japan, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. A second quake -- magnitude 4.6 quake -- struck several minutes later. The Japan Meteorological Agency said no tsunami alert has been issued. The quake was centered about 143 kilometers (89 miles) north-northwest of Tokyo at a depth of 9.9 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to the USGS. [17]

North Korea's nuclear test prompted united condemnation and a vow of tough action from the U.N. Security Council. South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, repeating a statement to reporters outside council chambers, said the test violated council resolutions, and "there continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security." The test probably took place near P'unggye and yielded "several kilotons," according to assessments cited by the U.S. director of national intelligence. It drew condemnation from around the globe and prompted the emergency Security Council session. [18]

In the western town of Tal Kalakh rebel fighters and government forces have agreed to something remarkable- a cease-fire. While fragile, the agreement could be a blueprint for peace across more parts of the country, which has seen incessant bloodshed for 23 months. If the local cease-fire continues to hold, it would defy failures at the national and international levels to implement a meaningful halt in violence. Tal Kalakh, near Syria's border with Lebanon was one of the first cities to rebel against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. It has seen heavy fighting since the uprising began. [19]

Snow storms in the US

Snow storms in the US

8 Feb 2013

New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and other parts of New England were hunkered down for blinding snowstorms, heavy winds, power outages and more than two feet of the white stuff in some regions. The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for the New York City metro area, Connecticut and Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts and coastal sections of New Hampshire and Maine. Some parts of New England should see the heaviest snow, while some coastal areas could be lashed by hurricane-force winds of nearly 75 mph. As part of a new effort to name winter storms, the Weather Channel dubbed the blizzard "Nemo." More than 4,500 flights in the region had been canceled. [20]

Recent heavy snow has produced major traffic jams in the capital of Russia. The traffic stopped in queues up to 20 km long. The weather caused bad visibility and icy roads. The airport services were affected, when the authorities had to divert even the prime minister Dmitry Medvedev's plane. The record amount of this winter's snow was confirmed by the Moscow city hall officer Pyotr Biryukov. He said more than two meters of snow have fallen from sky on Moscow since the beginning of the winter. [21]

The allegations grabbed headlines across Mexico and around the globe: Hooded gunmen stormed into a beach bungalow and attacked a group of Spanish tourists, authorities said, raping six women and tying up a group of men with cell phone cables and bikini straps. The high-profile case in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco was a sharp reminder of significant security problems in a state that has seen violence surge even as homicide numbers in other hotspots across the country have started to dip. And it drew renewed attention to topics that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has steered out of the spotlight since he took office in December. Although still unconfirmed, there are suspicions the spanish tourists had previously bought drugs from the criminals. A reminder that tourists should avoid exposing themselves to dangerous situations. [22]

Tens of thousands of mourners and protesters wrapped in national flags crammed on to the leafy hillside of Tunis's historic Jellaz cemetery as assassinated Chokri Belaïd,an opposition leader,was buried. Chokri Belaïd had been one of the most outspoken critics of the post-revolution coalition government led by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party. He appeared on television only this week to criticize a rise in political violence. Chokri Belaïd was shot dead in broad daylight after he had got into a car outside his Tunis home. In the crowd were teachers, lawyers, shop-owners and the unemployed, women in headscarves and without, many trade unionists, leftist and secular politicians. They said his death was a watermark for post-revolutionary Tunisia, which lit the spark for the Arab spring when its popular uprising toppled the dictatorship in January 2011. [23]

An unprecedented number of Chinese will travel home this year to be with family and friends during China's Lunar New Year, making it the world's largest annual migration of people. Their yearly homecoming has been repeated over and over for the past two decades, reuniting families in the villages with the workers who have fueled China's economic miracle.But that growth has come at a tremendous personal cost thanks in part to a household registration system called "hukou."The hukou is akin to an internal passport that divides the population into rural and urban residents. As such, migrant workers are prevented from accessing social services in the city they're working in. [24]

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the Solomon Islands. There were no immediate reports of a tsunami.The quake comes two days after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck the same region, triggering a tsunami that killed five people but didn't threaten the wider region. [25]

January 2013

French troops seized the airport in Mali's northern town of Kidal, the last urban stronghold held by Islamist insurgents, as they moved to wrap up the first phase of a military operation to wrest northern Mali from rebel hands. France has deployed some 4,500 troops in a three-week ground and air offensive to break the Islamist rebels' 10-month grip on major northern towns. The mission is aimed at heading off the risk of Mali being used as a springboard for jihadist attacks in the wider region or Europe. The French military plans to gradually hand over to a larger African force, tasked with rooting out insurgents in their mountain redoubts near Algeria's border. [26]

A strong earthquake hit central-northern Chile, shaking buildings as far away as the capital Santiago, and possibly leading a woman to die minutes later of an apparent heart attack, the U.S. Geological Survey and local officials said. There were no reports of serious damage. The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.7, struck at a depth of 28.4 miles, 63 miles southwest of the mining town Copiapo and 364 miles north of Santiago. [27]

Air France-KLM launches low-cost airline

Air France-KLM launches low-cost airline

30 Jan 2013

Hop! will operate 530 daily flights to 136 destinations in Europe from March 31 with one-way fares from 55 euros. The launch of the new airline - which has been created through the merger of regional units Brit Air, Regional Air and Airlinair - is part of a reshuffle of the group's loss-making short and medium-haul operations. [28]

Tens of thousands of Egyptians filled Tahrir Square to observe the second anniversary of the revolt that ousted President Hosni Mubarak with a massive protest against the political ascendance of the Muslim Brotherhood. There were parallel demonstrations in several other cities, and minor clashes between protesters and security forces in Alexandria, Cairo and elsewhere.Protesters at times seemed to be re-enacting scenes from the 18-day revolt that toppled Mr. Mubarak two years ago. The loudest chants were recycled from the revolution — “Leave, leave” and “The people want the fall of the regime.” Others were adapted slightly to focus on the Islamist Brotherhood, calling for an end to “the rule by the supreme guide,” Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood’s spiritual leader.[29]

At least seven protesters and two soldiers were killed in clashes that started after Iraqi Army forces opened fire on demonstrators who had pelted them with rocks on the outskirts of Falluja, west of Baghdad. It was the first deadly confrontation in more than a month of antigovernment protests by mostly Sunni opponents of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. As a result, a curfew was imposed on Falluja later that day. [30]

Hundreds of battle-hardened nomadic Tuareg rebels storm towns in Mali’s northern desert, using weapons seized after they fought for Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in Libya. They reinvigorate a longstanding rebellion there, overwhelming the poorly equipped Malian forces with whom they clashed in the 1960s, the early 1990s and again in 2006. [31]

Syrians are fleeing into Jordan in record numbers to escape escalating violence and destruction in their country that is making it increasingly difficult for civilians to survive, said the United Nations refugee agency. More than 4,000 Syrians arrived at a camp in Zaatari in northern Jordan on Jan 24th and another 2,000 people overnight, Melissa Fleming, the spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said. The number of Syrian refugees in the region is approaching 700,000, the refugee agency said, with 221,000 registered as refugees in Lebanon, 156,000 in Turkey and 76,000 in Iraq. [32]

In its latest bout of saber-rattling, North Korea warned of the possibility of "strong physical counter-measures" against South Korea after the United Nations imposed tougher sanctions against the North earlier that week. The threat against South Korea came a day after the North said it would carry out a new nuclear test and more long-range rocket launches as part of a new phase of confrontation with the United States. The South Korean Unification Ministry declined to comment specifically on the new threats from Pyongyang. It reiterated its stance that North Korea should refrain from further provocations. [33]

Several Japanese Coast Guard ships fired water cannon and shouted warnings at a boat carrying Taiwanese activists who were attempting to land on islands disputed by Taiwan, Japan and China, a spokesman said. Through loud speakers, the Japanese Coast guard urged the activists and four Taiwanese Coast Guard vessels accompanying them, to retreat from waters around the islands, which are known as the Senkakus in Japan, and Diaoyu in China. The deterrent worked and the Taiwanese ships left the area, the Japanese Coast Guard said. According to state news agencies in Taiwan and China, the confrontation occurred about 28 nautical miles from the islands in the East China Sea. [34]

Controversial x-ray scanners to be removed

Controversial x-ray scanners to be removed

20 Jan 2013

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has set to remove the privacy breaching full-body x-ray machines from 30 USA airports. [35]

Extreme snowfall in the UK

Extreme snowfall in the UK

19 Jan 2013

Harsh snowfall has led to traffic, especially aviation to slow down, or even be cancelled in Great Britain During Friday the 18th, over 400 flights leaving London were cancelled and this is expected to continue well into the weekend. [36]

Boeing suspends the dreamliner 787

Boeing suspends the dreamliner 787

19 Jan 2013

Due to technical malfunctions in the airplanes batteries, Boeing, the US based aerospace giant has seized delivering their mammoth planes until they are approved safe

Millions of devout Hindus led by naked ascetics with ash smeared on their bodies plunged into the frigid waters of India's holy Ganges River in a ritual they believe can wash away their sins. The ceremony in the northern city of Allahabad took place on the most auspicious day of the Kumbh Mela, or Pitcher Festival, one of the world's largest religious gatherings that lasts 55 days. Over 110 million people are expected to take a dip at the Sangam, the place where three rivers — the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati — come together at the edge of this North Indian city. [37]

Cubans will no longer need an exit permit and a letter of invitation from someone in another country to travel abroad. Shortly after Fidel Castro took power in 1959, stringent travel laws were put in place to stem an exodus from Cuba. Now Cubans will require only a passport to travel internationally and can stay abroad for two years -- more than twice as long as the previous restriction -- without losing their property or ability to return to the island. [38]

Thousands of protesters descended on Islamabad in night's cold weather, filling part of the "blue zone" in the center of the Pakistani capital. But the group was much smaller than organizers of the self-proclaimed "Million Man March" had hoped. Exact figures were unclear, but witnesses estimated around 20,000 people had participated. But the group was much smaller than organizers of the self-proclaimed "Million Man March" had hoped. Exact figures were unclear, but witnesses estimated around 20,000 people had participated. Much of Pakistan watched in anticipation as thousands of people, led by Qadri, headed toward Islamabad with police and soldiers lining the rally route. [39]

China's capital endured its worst air pollution in recent memory, illustrating the persistent challenge the nation's new leaders face in addressing environmental woes. Officials called for residents to stay home and avoid exercising outside after the murky air darkened the skies over Beijing and surrounding areas. China's government is under pressure to clean up the country's environmental problems, a legacy of more than three decades of untrammeled economic growth. [40]

More than 130 bush fires continue to burn across New South Wales, including 20 that are out of control as fire crews race to contain blazes before a return to hot and windy conditions later in the week.The biggest threat is currently posed by a grass and shrub fire burning in an easterly direction about 11 kilometers outside Yass in the NSW southern tablelands region. Four months of record-breaking temperatures stretching back to September 2012 have produced what the government says are “catastrophic” fire conditions along the eastern and southeastern coasts of the country, where the majority of Australians live. [41]

A New York passenger ferry has hit a dock during the Manhattan rush hour, injuring 57 people and tearing a hole in the vessel's bow. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has visited the scene of the crash, along with senior police, fire and emergency management officials. Police said the boat's crew passed alcohol breath tests given after the crash. The cause of the accident was under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. [42]

South African police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at striking farm workers who blocked a highway in the grape-growing Western Cape, the first clashes of a year likely to be marked by fractious labor relations. Police said they arrested 44 people and an emergency worker said four were taken to hospital with minor injuries from the rubber bullets. The strike in the Western Cape, home to South Africa's multi-billion-dollar wine industry, follows a similar walk-out in December in which warehouses were set on fire and at least two workers died in clashes with police. [43]

A private delegation including Google’s executive chairman is urging North Korea to allow more open Internet access and cellphones to benefit its citizens, during its visit to the country, which has some of the world’s tightest controls on information. The members were bringing a message that more openness would benefit North Korea. Most in the country have never logged onto the Internet, and the authoritarian government strictly limits access to the World Wide Web. [44]

More than 2,000 prisoners incarcerated by the Syrian authorities were being released in return for 48 Iranians freed by rebels after five months in captivity in what appeared to be the biggest prisoner swap since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began almost two years ago. [45]

Police in Brazil's most populous state can no longer give first aid to victims injured in violent crimes or in shootouts with law enforcement officers. Sao Paulo State Public Safety Department says in a statement posted on its website that only emergency response teams and paramedics can provide treatment to victims at the scene of the crime or shootout with police. [46]

Wolf packs are prowling at the edges of villages in the remote Sakha-Yakutia region of Siberia, eating livestock that includes horses and domesticated reindeer. They are moving near towns like Verkhoyansk, far above the Arctic Circle, where the mayor told a regional newspaper that he had organized a hunting party to kill as many as possible. In fact, the wolves have grown so thick in Yakutia that the governor recently declared a state of emergency, which wildlife experts said was largely symbolic and intended to draw attention to the problem. [47]

Celebrations for the festival kick off with Festival First Night – a large scale free event in the parks, streets, and lane-lays of the city, which is an exclusive feast of music, dance, and visual spectacle on the streets. Reaching an audience of more than 200,000 people, the Festival First Night is celebrated on the first Saturday of the Festival while more free concerts await Sydneysiders and visitors on subsequent two Saturdays. The Sydney Festival creates a welcoming and unique global ambience which showcases the striking city of Sydney through a feast of world class performances in theatre, music, dance, fireworks, visual arts, and food. The peak celebrations of the festival are the Australia Day festivities on 26th January with ferry races and tall ship displays at the iconic Sydney Harbour. The festival with its wide range of free events and easy pricing policies for the shows with tickets ensures that everyone can participate in the Sydney Festival celebrations. [48]

Gujarat’s International Kite Festival is held every year in Ahmedabad. Skies above the city come alive with kites- in a hundred different colours, shapes and sizes, fluttering and darting above the rooftops, triumphantly cutting another kite’s string, and soaring way up above the earth. The Gujarat Tourism Development Corporation organises the International Kite Festival at a local stadium, where kite enthusiasts from all across the world show off their skills. [49]

The event, held since 1963, can last more than a month, depending on the weather, and attracts visitors from around the world who come to see the elaborate ice and snow sculptures. This year's 'Ice and Snow World' features majestic ice castles and sculptures of fairytale characters equipped with LED lights, bringing a colorful and warm aura to the icy wonderland. [50]